Robust Path Tracking Control for Off-Road Autonomous Vehicle via System Level Synthesis

This paper presents a real-time optimal trajectory generator and a robust controller designed to ensure the stability and performance of an unmanned off-road vehicle. The two-degree-of-freedom controller aims to achieve predictive driving control when perceptual information is informative and correct, while simultaneously attaining robustness through a fast feedback controller. For the feedback controller, we employ a recently developed approach called System Level Synthesis, providing transparency for robustness analysis and convexity for numerical optimization. At the same time, we focus on realizing the proposed algorithm as a practical means of online trajectory generation and control. The robust performance is investigated through extensive numerical simulations and experimental tests for an unmanned vehicle successfully executing navigation missions in an uncertain environment.